


Breathing Underwater

by Kalloway



Category: Gundam SEED
Genre: Community: polybigbang, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-07
Updated: 2014-01-14
Packaged: 2018-01-03 20:54:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1072945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalloway/pseuds/Kalloway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Social life lingering between pathetic and non-existent? Check. Not even sure if she's been asked on an actual date? Check. Suddenly on her way to a fancy resort with the man she's secretly liked for the last few years of her life? Check. Along with his constant companion whose status is exceptionally questionable? Also check. Never mind the cute guy at the pool or the sudden dream job offer... Shiho is officially in over her head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Shiho!_

_Guess what! I'm on a team working on prototype mobile suits and long story short, they're amazing! That and we need test pilots. The chief asked us mechanics if we had any suggestions and I put your name in. It's not official yet, but he pulled your records and you're shortlisted! Don't be surprised if you get a call, okay? I mean, if you're interested. Or are you busy with you-know-who? Ah- send me a message, okay?_

_-Rim_

Shiho pulled the towel from her head and gave the ends of her hair one last little rub before reaching to turn off her tablet. She didn't really have time to reply to Rim's message - she didn't even know what to say. A shortlist was very different from an offer, after all. 

And she had plans. 

With you-know-who.

That, at least, made Shiho smile as she hung up her towel in the bathroom and started combing out her hair. She had tugged on sleep-shorts and an undershirt upon getting out of the shower, but now it was time to actually find something to wear. 

To be honest, it had been a little while since Shiho had been on a date. There'd been a handsome coworker at her temporary civilian job between wars, but they hadn't gotten serious and she'd swiftly returned to Yzak's side anyway. And after that, everything was short-lived. Technically, everything before that had been short-lived, too.

She was still a little surprised at his sudden invitation, but it wasn't wholly out of character. He did pay attention to her, after all. She'd mentioned the street festival the week before, and he'd invited her to see it with him since they both had a day off. 

Her closet made her frown. Shiho knew she needed to spend a bit of time updating her civilian wardrobe, but the severity of the problem had never made itself quite so obvious. Normally she wore her uniforms and after work, she changed into sweats or pjs. Day off outings were one well-abused pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt. 

She had a proper suit, too, and a few overly flashy outfits, but nothing both casual and yet... Shiho wasn't even sure she wanted to be sexy. Just comfortable but not like she was dressed for grocery shopping. 

A bit of digging revealed a few pieces of clothing that Shiho had forgotten about. Unfortunately, not a one of them still fit. Somewhere in the last year, she'd put on a couple of inches pretty much everywhere. 

After another round of pulling quite literally everything she owned out of her closet, she settled on a black tank top with a nicer pair of jeans that were a bit short but were easily camouflaged with boots. With her white blouse over it all and tied at the front, she thought she looked okay. A dry-cleaner could deal with the wrinkles later. 

Somehow, Shiho made it out the door right on schedule. 

"Wow, you look nice--"

Inwardly, Shiho winced. Margo, who lived across the hall, was a perky bubble of sunshine on the worst of days. And Shiho genuinely liked her and thought of her as a friend. But she was very talkative and, once encountered, was often hard to get rid of. 

Luckily, Margo seemed to be coming to her going. 

"Thank you," Shiho replied. She bumped her door once to make sure it had locked properly. 

"You have a date?" Margo questioned as she tried to juggle a trio of bags and swipe her room's keycard. 

"Here, let me," Shiho said quickly. She took Margo's keycard a second later and slid it, waiting until the door was open and Margo had dumped her bags inside to return it. 

"Date?" Margo reminded her, pushing strawberry blonde hair back and smiling. She tucked her keycard down into her bra. "Or not-date?"

"'Not-date?" Shiho asked, frowning. 

"You know," Margo said with a little headshake. "Guy asks if you want to go somewhere or see something but it's not really specified that it's a date. Maybe it's an audition for a date, or maybe it's just hanging out, or maybe it is a date but you can't really ask because if you're thinking it's something different from he is, it's going to get embarrassing fast."

"We're going to the street fair down in City Center," Shiho replied. "I... I don't know exactly what it is. I'm not worried about that."

"Well come tell me when you get home," Margo said quickly. "I'll be up. I had an intern quit and my workload is double, but at least I'm not stuck in the office. You're lucky you're in uniform - they don't abuse you like they do us contractors." 

Shiho frowned. "Are you sure you want me to disturb you?"

"Perfect excuse for a break," Margo noted before giving Shiho a little wave. "Now go get 'im!"

~*~

The street festival was only a couple of blocks from Shiho's apartment and she heard it long before seeing it. Yzak was supposed to meet her at the near-corner, though when she checked her phone for the time, Shiho realized she was actually a bit early. 

The closest vendor had a selection of beautiful glass-bead necklaces and after a minute, Shiho snuck over to look. She hadn't really bothered with accessories - she hadn't even really thought about it. 

But sparkling in the reflected sunlight, the beads were beautiful rainbows. 

Shiho picked out a simple strand with a larger swirled bead set as a sort of pendant and had just paid when a hand settled on her shoulder. 

"Starting without us?"

Turning, Shiho stared deep into Dearka's eyes. Yzak was beside him, attempting to look casual in khakis and a polo and failing terribly. Dearka at least had on jeans and a t-shirt for a band that Shiho had only vaguely heard of under a thin denim jacket. 

Of course Dearka would be there. Dearka went everywhere with Yzak. Which meant there was definitely not a date going on anywhere. 

"I was early, so I thought I'd look," Shiho admitted. She had the necklace wrapped around one hand and quickly jammed her change into her purse. 

"Let me," Dearka said, taking the necklace from her before she could protest. His hands were warm against her skin as he slipped the necklace around her neck and fixed the clasp without even looking. 

Shiho didn't miss the little look that Yzak gave them both, but she really didn't know what it was. Not jealousy, definitely. Something else...

"We can walk down one side and then back along the other," Yzak said as he surveyed the festival. "So we don't miss anything."

"Sounds fine," Shiho replied. The next little stand had beautiful tropical-patterned sundresses, but while the colors were pretty, Shiho couldn't imagine wearing anything like them. Or at least having a reason to.

"I should get something for my mother," Yzak idly commented as they walked. Shiho sort of hoped she could find something small for Margo. It would be a little unfair to pay a visit later and not bear a gift. And Lise, one of the supply girls who always stopped to chat, had a birthday somewhere in the next bit... 

"I think I need a couple of gifts, too," Shiho admitted. 

Dearka, who'd slipped to Yzak's other side, just shook his head. "I'm just looking for me, I guess."

A block down, past a group of dancers and musicians that Shiho couldn't resist photographing, she found a small bear wearing a sparkling bracelet as a necklace that looked like just the thing for Lise. 

Conversation remained light and a few times, Shiho and Yzak got a little too close and bumped hands or arms. The third time, Shiho reached over and gave him a playful little tap. 

"Do I have to separate you two?" Dearka asked from behind. 

"Huh? No--" Yzak quickly replied. His face was just a tiny bit red and Shiho smiled and gave him another tap. 

She still had no idea if they were on a date. Probably not. Unless it was a really weird one. 

By the time they'd circled around, Shiho had taken another handful of photographs and bought a bag of candy for Margo. The entire four block loop had taken well over an hour, but it hadn't felt like that. Not when there was so much to see. 

"It's been awhile since I've been to this part of the city," Yzak admitted. "You live nearby, though, don't you?" He looked over at Shiho. 

She nodded and pointed. "Four blocks that way, in a ZAFT-owned building. Easy commute." 

"We drove," Yzak said. "Do you have--?"

"No car, no," Shiho replied. She could afford one, but there was no point. "If I needed one, I could rent one for the day, I suppose."

"Where would you want to go?" Yzak asked. 

Shiho shuffled the bag with her purchases from one hand to the other. "Hmm. I don't know."

"Want me to carry that?" Dearka asked. Somewhere along the way he'd acquired a bag of his own. 

"No, but thank you," Shiho said. She glanced around. Yzak had mentioned the festival, but they'd covered it. So what were they supposed to do now? Maybe Yzak was as lost as she was. 

They didn't even see each other often while working - despite being assigned to his team, Shiho kept busy in other ways while Yzak tended to work with various Council representatives. And even when she accompanied him - and Dearka - to other cities, it was usually a silent trip filled with reading or trying to help with crew duties. The street festival had come up somehow or other during a brief status meeting... 

Rim's offer suddenly sounded very good. 

"Are either of you hungry?" Dearka tried. "I know there are some good restaurants around here."

Shiho and Yzak made eye contact, briefly, before each suggesting something different. Shiho had thought she'd gotten Yzak's favorite... 

He'd suggested hers. 

Surprised, Shiho mumbled an acceptance that was only slightly louder than Dearka's stomach. 

A meal would at least help clarify what sort of expedition they were on. Hopefully. Maybe it was a strange date. Maybe Dearka was just part of a package deal. Yzak never really did seem to be without Dearka and when he was, he seemed ever-so-slightly lost. 

But asking would be awkward. 

Asking would be very awkward. 

And it was nice just to be out wandering with Yzak. Shiho had always liked him - he had a certain charm to him that she'd always been drawn to. Even when she'd been in South America and at other posts, she'd thought about him even though her initial crush had subsided. But if he ever... Well, she had a permanent short-list and he was on it. 

The restaurant was nearby and it looked like most of the lunch crowd had just left. Most of the tables were in need of bussing, but there was one booth free. No sooner had she spotted it than apparently Yzak did too. 

"Over there," he said. "There's a booth to the right."

A booth would be a real test, Shiho realized. The booth would be big enough for two people to fit on each side. Which meant that two of them would end up sitting together. If Yzak sat beside her, then maybe it was a date, still. If not... 

"Are you okay?" Yzak asked her as they made their way over to the booth. "You seem distracted."

Shiho knew she was blushing. "I'm fine. Just thinking I should have taken a few more pictures earlier."

Yzak didn't reply. Instead, he sort of gave her a little look, echoing the look that Dearka was giving her. She stared at the booth. Obviously, she was expected to sit first. 

Shiho slid onto the closest bench and quickly set her bag of purchases up on the ledge that ran along the side of the booths. There was a vase with a fake flower up there as well, and a bottle of ketchup. 

She reached to pull the bottle down to sit with the other condiments and was almost surprised by weight on the seat beside her. So it was--

It was Dearka. Yzak had taken the lone spot across from them. 

Hopefully, the disappointment didn't show on her face. 

A waitress appeared almost instantly and set three menus down on the table. 

"Anything to drink to get you started?" she questioned with a big smile. 

"Water," Shiho replied quickly. She possibly needed something stronger, but it wasn't that type of restaurant. Besides, water would do. 

She could drown herself in it.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Dearka questioned. Shiho didn't miss the look he shot over to Yzak. "It's been awhile since your last day off, hasn't it? You've been volunteering for extra patrols and training detail..."

"I'm fine," Shiho replied a little firmer than she'd meant. "There's just been-- well, it's been something to do to keep in practice."

She thought about Rim's message again but held her tongue. 

"If you want leave time, I'll approve it," Yzak added. "Don't over-work yourself."

"I don't know what I'd do with it..." Shiho began, before thinking that there were tons of things she could possibly do. She could visit some of the small villages she'd helped in South America, she could swim in the warm waters of Orb, she could rent a shuttle and mobile suit from the Junk Guild and just explore some abandoned something-or-others in space... 

If she did end up being invited back to machine testing, a break between would be sort of nice. She had time to use. 

"Well--" Yzak began, only to be interrupted by their waitress arriving with three glasses of water, which she quickly plunked down. They hadn't even touched the menus. 

"I'll give you three another moment," she said with a little wink. And then she was gone again. 

"Let's figure out what we want," Dearka suggested.

Shiho wished the menu could help her with that. 

~*~

Most of the meal was spent talking about food. Dearka certainly had plenty of good things to say about the restaurants in Orb. 

Shiho hadn't really forgotten about Dearka's time in Orb - well, with the Archangel and then in Orb. He just didn't mention it often and it didn't seem like a thing to prod at. 

He even mentioned his ex-girlfriend freely. Again, Shiho didn't know too much about that whole situation, but it certainly wasn't her business. It did make it a bit easier for her to ignore certain rumors about Yzak and Dearka's friendship, though, which was high on the list of things she really couldn't just ask about. She supposed she didn't really care if there was any truth to said rumors - it would just be a really awkward thing to ever, ever ask about. 

"What do you want to do next?" Shiho questioned once their dishes were cleared away. Yzak had already claimed the bill for all three of them and she saw no reason to fight him. 

"Actually, we should probably ask..." Yzak held a hand out to Dearka, who blinked once before reaching for the inside pocket of his jacket. He handed a brightly-colored brochure to Yzak who promptly set it in front of Shiho.

"What's this?" Shiho asked. It seemed to be for some sort of resort.

"A gift from the Council for my hard work," Yzak admitted. He seemed a little embarrassed about it though Shiho wasn't sure why - he had worked hard and deserved any rewards. Of course, it was also the sort of thing Yzak would be easily able to afford on his own. "For myself and two assistants or bodyguards or whatever. It wouldn't be an official ZAFT thing - you'd have to use your leave time."

Only then did it really hit her that Yzak was asking her to a fancy resort. With him. And Dearka, of course, because there was no point in thinking otherwise. 

Shiho hadn't ever been to the sort of resort described in the brochure. Fancy dinners, spa packages, grand gardens... She'd grown up firmly at the bottom of the upper class, but her parents had valued hard work over extravagance. She'd seen other cities and visited museums, not laid around and let people bring her drinks. 

This would definitely call for a clothes shopping expedition the likes of which instantly filled her with dread. 

And then there was Rim.

"When?" Shiho asked. 

"For two weeks," Dearka answered. "We'd leave in six days."

Shiho nodded. "I'd honestly need to check with one person, but I'd be able to tell you in the morning."

"Mmm?" Yzak gave her a bit of a strange look. "That's fine."

"An old friend mentioned a visit," Shiho fibbed. "I need to see what she's thinking."

Apparently, it was enough of an explanation because neither of them pressed. She tucked the brochure up into her bag while Yzak settled the bill. 

And after a leisurely wander through an art gallery that Shiho had never even noticed before - Dearka had a true appreciation for art, Yzak not so much - they parted ways back on the corner by the street festival. 

Dearka had given her a friendly hug but Yzak had hesitated before leaning close and muttering that she looked nice and hoped she could make the trip. 

She walked back to her apartment without even really thinking about it. Autopilot took over until she was reaching into her purse for her keycard. 

Had he meant to kiss her, Shiho wondered. Was he just...? While Dearka had loved and lost, honestly, Shiho didn't think Yzak had ever... Maybe he just didn't know how to...

She paused before swiping her card and leaned forward against her door. Her forehead hitting the composite alloy didn't even make a sound. But she felt it. 

Because that made two of them. 

Once inside, she set down her purse and took off her blouse, leaving only her tank top. Armed only with the candy she'd bought, Shiho made sure her door was unlocked and headed across the hall. 

She hit the buzzer on Margo's doorpad and waited. Margo appeared a moment later. Her hair had been pinned up in a messy bun but otherwise she looked fairly calm - for Margo.

"A gift," Shiho said, offering the candy. 

Margo smiled and accepted. "Come on in. How was the date? Was it a date?"

"I still don't know," Shiho admitted, following Margo in. Margo's apartment was a mirrored layout of her own, but where Shiho's was relatively neat and organized, Margo's was bordering on chaos. Files and books were stacked on almost every flat surface and cups and dishes suggested many rushed days. 

"Hmm. Have a seat." Margo flopped back on her computer chair, but there was a lack of other sitting surfaces that weren't covered in debris. "Ah--"

Shiho watched Margo look once around and then wince. 

"Balance ball, I'm thinking?"

Chuckling, Shiho spotted it - a red beacon in one corner, impossible to clutter. She bounced it over to the middle of the room and sat, shifting twice before getting it to a point where it didn't want to roll away with her on it. 

Shiho explained the day - complete with resort offer. 

Margo frowned. "You know, I always heard those two were-- y'know --together," she said. "Not saying they are--"

"I don't know either." Upon recitation of the outing, Shiho had noticed plenty of clues in either direction. "Dearka was really friendly and Yzak was just... he's a good commander and I'd follow him anywhere but I don't think he has much experience with dating.

"Not that I do," Shiho added after a beat. "Got busy, you know?"

Margo popped a fat piece of candy in her mouth and gestured around at her apartment. "Story of my life."

"I would like to go on the vacation--"

"What's stopping you? You mentioned--"

Shiho frowned. "Probably classified. Nothing personal," she said quickly. Margo's actual clearance was a mystery to her and despite there being plenty of contractors in some pretty specialized fields, Shiho saw no reason to say too much. Rim was the one who tended to have a big mouth, after all. For all Shiho knew, she wasn't even supposed to know about the project. "But it would be a transfer back to a previous department and..."

"You want to do it," Margo surmised. "Can't blame you, if it's something exciting that you'd be good at."

"I don't know how well it'd go over with the Commander."

"Maybe it'll get him to finally admit his intentions. Besides, you need to do what you want, Shiho. It wouldn't be like you were leaving forever or anything, right?"

"Right."

Margo had a very good point. It would be an assignment, she'd do it and finish it and then she'd be right back to work. 

Later, after she'd messaged Rim and had dinner, she started putting her closet back in order and making a basic packing list. By the end, her list was two full columns on her tablet and her closet was fairly bare. Everything old was in bags to be donated and a quick check of finances told her that a new wardrobe would be a drop in the bucket compared to her savings. 

Shiho sighed and added one more thing as she looked through the brochure - a bathing suit. The last time she'd been swimming had been in South America. She'd been in her underwear. She hadn't cared. 

Flopping back on her bed, Shiho realized she'd have to take an emergency personal day to shop. Hopefully no one would see her. But it would have to be done.


	2. Chapter 2

~*~

_Shiho!_

_Yay! You're in? We had a bit of a setback after I messaged you, but we should have it figured out in no time. I think the current timetable says we'd need you in a month - no sooner. You'd want to use a bit of leave-time beforehand, huh? Good idea. I don't even know what I have, but I blew a lot earlier in the year when my sister had her baby! I'm an Aunt! Hey, you didn't mention you-know-who. Is everything okay?_

_-Rim_

A month. That would be perfect.

Shiho fixed her hair into its usual loose ponytail and smoothed her uniform. 

She'd worked out exactly what to say and how to ask for her personal day only to arrive and find that Yzak and a handful of other commanders had been called to another city. Of course Dearka had gone as well. 

She ended up sending a message before catching a transport over to the city's main base. 

Her permissions arrived within the hour.

~*~

Armed with her list, which was formatted roughly into categories, Shiho walked toward City Center with a mission. Even seventy-five percent of her list would be a major success. Everything else she could pick up before or after shifts. 

Besides, she could only carry so much... 

The resort offered a laundry service, according to additional information that Shiho had looked up. But dinners were also formal so she'd probably be changing her clothing at least once a day. 

Then there were sandals to go with a swimsuit and a nicer purse that would to match everything--

It wasn't terribly difficult to remember how and why her closet had gotten to its current state - there was no joy in shopping. In school, she'd worn uniforms. In ZAFT, more uniforms. 

After walking a couple of extra blocks, she made a sharp left into the first store that had women's clothing. Get in, get stuff, get out...

The store was well-lit, at least. And colorful. Shiho immediately gravitated to a rack of tank tops and v-neck t-shirts. 

"Shiho?" 

Shiho looked up from the shirts and into familiar purple eyes. Lunamaria Hawke grinned at her from the other side of the rack. 

"Lunamaria--"

"Shopping the sale?" Luna questioned. "I love their sales." 

She glanced back and around. 

"Shinn is here somewhere, too. Are you by yourself?"

"I..." Shiho sighed and explained the basics of her wardrobe predicament to Luna. 

Lunamaria, Shiho thought, had a career as a personal shopper if she ever left ZAFT service. She led the way through two dozen stores and systematically removed items from Shiho's list without any apparent effort. She knew colors, styles, and quickly figured out the sorts of things Shiho actually liked. . 

Shinn tried to get her aside at least once, but it wasn't til they collapsed into a booth in a food court that they had a moment to talk properly. 

Luna was in a long line to get them all bubble tea. 

"I've heard rumors of mobile suit development picking up again," he said softly. "And test teams."

Shiho glanced around once before nodding. "I've heard similar, but nothing definite. You're interested?" 

Shinn nodded. "And you, too? I know about your work with Cgue beam weapons."

"You do?" Shiho blinked and hoped she wasn't blushing. She didn't think anyone had really been keeping track of things at that point. Besides, it was her duty... 

"Yeah," Shinn continued. "And I know we're both a little bored..."

Shiho sighed. "You've got me there."

They talked for another couple of minutes before Luna returned. She slid in beside Shiho - Shinn had been stuck with all of their bags. 

"I think we just have to find your bathing suits and a few accessories," Luna said with a smile as she doled out bubble tea. 

"Suits?" Shiho questioned. She picked at her meal - she'd pretty much forgotten about eating while talking to Shinn. And besides, after spending hours trying on clothing, she couldn't help feeling a bit self-conscious about every kilogram of her being. 

"You need more than one," Luna noted. "They don't dry quickly, so if you want to go swimming more than once or like in the evening and then the next morning, your suit is all cold and damp and gross. Besides, it'll keep Commander Joule guessing."

"You have something to sleep in, too, right?" Shinn questioned, looking up from his bubble tea. Apparently he'd been politely avoiding the bathing suit conversation. "I always used to forget pajamas when I'd go on vacation as a kid."

"Not on the list," Luna said, looking over at Shiho. "What were you planning?"

Shiho shrugged. "Tank top and shorts, I guess?" Immediately, she knew it was the wrong answer. Besides, if anything did happen, did she want to be in a tank top and shorts? She wasn't really into anything lacy, but she supposed maybe she could at least get something new instead of wearing her old stuff. 

"We'll just hit a couple extra stores," Luna replied without missing a beat. "How about luggage?"

"That, I have," Shiho said. She chuckled. "Good stuff, not my ZAFT duffels, don't worry."

"I'm just jealous of you getting a free vacation, even if you sort of have to work," Luna admitted. "Send me photos, okay?"

By the time they got to the underthings store, Shinn had thankfully volunteered to take their current bags back to Lunamaria's car. Shiho knew he probably needed a break and she felt a little better not having Luna ask his opinion on dozens of pairs of panties. 

Having a free ride back to her apartment was nice, too. Shiho was exhausted and once she dumped her armloads of bags on the living room floor, she flopped onto the sofa and closed her eyes. 

~*~

The next few days were a blur and halfway through packing, there was a knock at her door. 

It was Margo and she was holding two cold open bottles of beer.

Shiho was not a heavy drinker. She knew when to drink to be polite amongst company and how to celebrate enough to get a bit of a buzz. And yes, sometimes a cold bottle of beer just sounded good.

Margo was obviously psychic.

"You have seats in here," Margo said, handing Shiho a bottle and then walking around her. "Though I came to see if you needed a hand packing. That and I had too much beer in my fridge."

"I'm doing okay," Shiho replied. The beer tasted good and she downed about half the bottle before giving Margo a little smile. "I suppose you can at least look over the boutique I'm dragging with me."

"Oh?"

Shiho chuckled and gestured for Margo to follow her to her bedroom. 

"I ran into a shopping-savvy friend. Between sales and her various cards, I didn't even lose too much of my savings account," Shiho said. 

"Whoa--" Margo nodded approvingly as she looked over the spread across Shiho's bed. "Not bad. Not your usual, but if you're off in fancy resort land, you're going to turn heads."

Shiho took another swallow of beer and tried not to blush. "I just want to relax and... see what happens, I guess."

"Well, what's happened this week?" Margo questioned. She settled onto a black cube ottoman that Shiho had originally been using as a stepstool to get to the top shelf of her closet. 

"Nothing," Shiho replied. "He's off in another city. We only messaged about official stuff, and then he reminded me of the time he's picking me up tomorrow."

"No way-- But you have two weeks with him coming up. So take every chance you get," Margo advised. "Get it out of the way early, even. That way if he's not interested, maybe you can still find a cute guy to have fun with."

"Margo!" Shiho found herself laughing anyway. It wasn't a bad idea - she was going to be on vacation, after all, and relaxing. If she met someone... if Yzak really wasn't an option...

"I'm being honest," Margo replied. "And you know, you need to start showing me clothing."

"I'm not doing the whole fashion show, though," Shiho replied. "It was bad enough doing it for squads of shop clerks and Luna's bored boyfriend."

By the time Shiho had everything packed, Margo had seen the bulk of her purchases and also foisted off a couple more bottles of 'extra beer'. 

If nothing else, Shiho felt quite a bit better about everything. 

~*~

Morning came far too quickly and though Shiho didn't have any sort of hangover, she was thirsty. After drinking a glass of water, she stumbled through the shower and tugged on the outfit she'd picked out as her comfortable-traveling outfit. She had one suitcase and then a carry-on bag that the larger of her two purses fit nicely inside. Because of course, Luna hadn't let her get away with a single new purse. So Shiho had a dinner purse and a daytime purse. And a little floral drawstring bag for use at the pool. 

She half-expected some sort of hired car to come for her, but after dragging her suitcase out to the curb and checking her phone once for the time, Dearka and Yzak pulled up perfectly on schedule. 

"I think yours goes in the back seat," Dearka commented as he got out of the car and moved around to wrangle Shiho's suitcase. 

"I assume I do as well," Shiho said. "I don't mind. I wasn't sure you'd actually make it back in time."

"We got in a few hours ago," Yzak admitted. "Ridiculous."

"Too bad it's a short flight," Dearka said as he moved around to open Shiho's door for her. He gave her a little smile that she returned without really thinking. "I wouldn't mind a nice long nap."

"We'll have time after we check in," Shiho said. She settled in for the ride as Dearka swung himself back into the driver's seat. "Probably until dinner?"

She'd already downloaded a complete itinerary for the day at the resort and had menus available for perusal as well as schedules for various services and shops. Between Luna and Margo, Shiho was gloriously prepared for anything the resort could throw at her that wasn't related to Yzak. And Dearka. 

Shiho had spent so long flashing her military ID to get around basic civilian procedure that flying between cities commercially was both frustrating and sort of amusing. Clearly, the three of them were recognized by quite a few people, but they were on vacation and it wasn't the time to misuse status. 

The commercial shuttle was fairly small and the executive-class section had its seats arranged in pairs on either side of the aisle. Shiho wasn't surprised to find herself alone in a pair, across the aisle from Dearka, though when it became clear that no one was taking the empty seat, she slipped over so she could look out at the scrambling dock workers and other shuttles. 

"I know we've been quiet, but you've been quiet too." Dearka again. He'd darted across the aisle likely without anyone noticing. Shiho looked over at Yzak, who had pulled out the supplied pillow and seemed to be starting on a catnap.

"I have a lot on my mind," Shiho replied. There was really nothing else she could say, because a good chunk of it was related to the trip and Yzak and Dearka and the rest was about something she probably wasn't supposed to know about yet. "Can't really explain."

"But everything's alright, isn't it?" He reached over and put his hand on top of hers for a brief second. It didn't feel bad. 

"I think so. I think once we get there and rest, I'll be okay." Shiho chuckled. "I wasn't up quite as late as you two, but Margo and I got a little carried away while I was packing."

"Margo?" Dearka questioned. 

"She lives across the hall. Contractor somewhere in Systems, I think. Loud and happy and buried under work most of the time." Shiho smiled as she explained. "Though I'm going to have quite a few beer bottles to clean up when I get home."

Dearka chuckled. "I didn't quite think you were the type."

"For what?"

"Well, you're usually all business when you're on duty--"

"Because I'm duty," Shiho noted. "And for a long time, we were pretty much on duty all the time. But I'm not-- well, I can relax and enjoy myself."

"I didn't mean..."

"I know." Shiho wasn't upset. She knew what she probably seemed like. But that was the difference between work and her own time. And for the most part, Dearka and Yzak hadn’t ever been interested in her on her own time. At least not that she knew about. 

But... they'd spent a lot of time on duty or at least on-call. 

The announcements began for launch and Dearka didn't move back to his seat. 

Instead, he kept Shiho company for the entire short trip between PLANTs. 

~*~

The resort was even more beautiful in person than in any of the promotional material that Shiho had viewed. Even professional photographers had failed to capture its beauty. 

And it sprawled on as far as she could see. 

"Nice," Dearka commented. 

"Yeah," Yzak agreed. Shiho was a little surprised - she knew Dearka had been raised with a lot of privilege and money. If he was impressed, than the place really was impressive. 

"Where's our luggage?" Shiho asked as they entered the lobby.

"The resort took our claim tickets," Dearka reminded her. "They'll bring it along. It's that kind of place."

While Yzak went up to the front desk to get them checked in, Shiho wandered around the lobby. There were all sorts of tropical plants growing inside, along with fountains and pools of brightly colored fish. 

"Hey, Ha-- Shiho, I have our keys," Yzak called from a few yards away. Had Yzak really just done that? 

"Coming, Commander," Shiho replied, smiling. Nearby, Dearka looked like he wanted to crack up. 

"Not very good at off-duty?" he asked as Shiho drew near. 

"He started it," Shiho noted, pointing at Yzak. "Are our rooms by each other?"

"It's a suite," Yzak said as he handed keycards to Shiho and Dearka. "So we'll have a common area, I think."

"Fancy," Dearka commented before adding, "Commander."

Yzak almost cracked a smile. Shiho considered it a win. Maybe he just needed some time off as well. She knew he did. That was why they were there, after all. 

The suites were on the top floor, though the elevator was fast and smooth. Everything felt fresh and new, and Shiho was pleased to see fresh cut flowers on a table by the elevator. 

She was not expecting Dearka to pluck one of the blooms out of the vase and hand it to her. 

"Thank you," she managed, accepting it and smiling. It was a pretty red - not quite her namesake housenka, but close enough. 

Their room was near the elevator, which Shiho thought was a bonus. It was also near a nook of vending machines and the ice machine without being too close and therefore noisy. 

Shiho wasn't entirely sure wanted to drop her keycard into her bag - but clutching it and the flower wasn't really working either. Her purse was somewhere down in her carry-on, but until they were in the suite--

Frowning, she went with Margo's solution and slipped it into her bra when neither of the guys was looking. 

The suite door opened up into a large living room complete with a television mounted on the wall and a large doored cabinet beneath. To the left was a kitchenette with high counter and stools that made it look more like a bar than anything. A curved sofa lined one wall and the far wall looked like it would open to a balcony. 

Everything was crisp and fresh-feeling. Most of the decor was shades of pale beige and shining black. 

Shiho set the flower down on the bar counter, intending to find it a glass once she'd looked around a bit more. Her bag landed on a black easy chair a moment later. 

A lone door branched off the space, and they filed through in silent curiosity. A short hallway split into even more doors - a bathroom, large and with a separate tub and shower stall. The first bedroom they all peeked in had a king-sized bed and its own private bathroom, along with a jacuzzi tub in one corner. 

No one argued when Yzak set his bag down on the bed. Shiho wasn't expecting her room to be quite as nice, but it wasn't like she was going to be spending much time in it anyway. 

The other bedroom, however--

Well, for starters, there was only one of them. Though it did have its own little bathroom as well.

Shiho looked at the pair of full beds and debated her options.

"This won't do," Yzak said flatly. 

It wasn't like they were going to spend much time in the room anyway. Mostly, they'd be sleeping. And it wasn't like she'd never shared a room with a man before. She'd bunked with far worse in far worse for very long amounts of time. She'd slept in her mobile suit, in tents, in hammocks in trees--

"It's fine," Shiho said. She paused. "Unless Dearka snores."

"Hey--"

"Not loudly," Yzak noted. 

"Shiho, you don't have to--"

"It's really okay," Shiho interrupted. "Dearka, we're really not going to spend much time in here anyway and I can change in the bathroom. And I can keep my toiletries in their bag and you won't even notice me."

"Are you sure?" Dearka questioned. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable." 

"I'll build myself a safety wall of beer bottles." Shiho grinned. Dearka started laughing. And apparently Yzak had slept through that entire conversation, because he was looking at them like they'd both gone crazy.

"I'll hold you to that," Dearka finally managed. "And speaking of, I think I'm going to nap for a bit."

"I hope our luggage arrives," Shiho added. "I'd like to hang a few things up."

Dearka yawned. Yzak yawned. And after a moment of trying not to, Shiho yawned too.

~*~

Dearka was still out cold when Shiho woke. A quick glance at the clock on the stand between their beds told her it she'd only been asleep for a little over an hour. 

She stretched and made her way out into the main room. Something was prodding her-- she adjusted where the keycard was sitting in her bra and then went over to the bar to find water for her poor flower. Luckily, there were wine glasses in the second cabinet she checked and she quickly took care of it. 

While they'd been sleeping, their luggage had arrived and been left just inside the door. 

Shiho supposed that another hour or so of being packed wouldn't hurt it any. Luna had done a good job of picking wrinkle-proof clothing, anyway. It had actually been part of her criteria for purchase. 

After a bit of peeking in drawers, Shiho found a pen and paper and left a note saying she was going to look around a bit. Then she grabbed her purse out of her carry-on and slipped out the door. 

The resort had more options than Shiho wanted to consider. She couldn't really see the entire place, but she could at least look around a bit. 

The elevator was empty as she descended, though the lobby looked busier than earlier. 

A wide hallway led off into an area of boutiques and gift shops of all sorts. There was even a little cafe that jutted out onto an open-air garden. And no sooner had Shiho looked at it than she realized that she was downright starving. 

"Seat yourself," a girl behind the counter called. Shiho nodded and found a spot away from other customers along the black metal outside rail of the cafe. Full, round orange-colored blossoms hung over almost onto the table, which made Shiho smile. 

A laminated sheet on the table was the entire menu, and Shiho perused it quickly before looking around. The rest of the tables seemed to be filled with couples or other pairs, including an obvious mother and daughter. 

A young waiter appeared a moment later and Shiho ordered a half-sandwich and soup. If nothing else, it wouldn't take long to make. 

She had left her tablet in the room, but she had her phone and quickly, Shiho tapped out a little message to Rim, telling her how nice the place was. And then she messaged Margo as well, just so Margo knew she'd arrived safely. 

Her sandwich, which was less a sandwich and more an entire meal, along with a cup of soup so thick and savory that she couldn't believe it, came quickly and Shiho devoured it all without really meaning to. 

She signed the bill to the room and kept wandering. 

Her phone made a little noise and surprisingly, the message was from neither Rim nor Margo. Instead it was Dearka. He was awake, at least, even if Yzak wasn't.

She asked him if he wanted anything to eat. He'd already ordered room service.

Amused, Shiho headed back to the room. 

"Find anything interesting?" Dearka asked her as she stepped into the room. 

"There's a lot to look at," Shiho admitted. "I wouldn't mind spending a day in the spa, though. A good massage would be amazing."

Dearka grinned. He had the television on and was sprawled on the sofa, feet bare and up. Peeking, Shiho saw that Yzak's door was closed. 

"I want to hang a couple of things up," Shiho said. "What did you order?"

"A bit of everything," Dearka admitted. "I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday. Did you get something?"

"A sandwich," Shiho replied, feeling a bit guilty. "I know we have a big dinner ahead of us--"

"In like five hours," Dearka countered. "It'll be fine."

Shiho grabbed her suitcase and wheeled it into their room. At least the closet area was large enough for all of their clothing and there were plenty of hangers as well. And then she went to wash her face and brush her hair. 

When she emerged, Dearka's food had arrived. 

"I'm glad we have a fridge," he commented. The bar was spread with food - it looked like every sort of appetizer that Shiho could imagine. "Help yourself, by the way. I did order something for you."

It took Shiho a second to see two bottles of beer amongst the dishes. She chuckled. 

"I see you want me to gain a handful of kilos while I'm here. And possibly make a fool of myself."

"Like I'm doing?" Dearka questioned. He hopped up onto one of the seats and reached for the nearest plate. 

"Exactly. The Comm-- Yzak's still out?"

Dearka nodded. "I think as long as he's up to get ready for dinner, we'll be fine."


	3. Chapter 3

Showered and actually almost hungry again, Shiho sat in the main room watching the news and waiting for the guys to finish getting ready. She'd opted for shiny black pants with black flats and a red shirt with open lace panels on the back. She had a silver and black wrap to wear over it, though she wasn't sure she'd need it. She'd pinned her hair up with red and silver sticks with beads on the ends - completely Luna's idea, with a bit of input from Shinn. 

There was nothing of value being reported, but Shiho resisted the urge to flick through channels. Likely, everything was as boring as the news. 

Yzak emerged first, in a full suit and tie. 

"I heard you went exploring," Yzak said. He smiled. 

"And Dearka ordered enough leftovers for us to have midnight snacks the entire vacation," Shiho added, standing. She did not miss Yzak looking her over. 

"I heard my name?" Dearka was wearing a dark grey suit and looked equally handsome. At least, Shiho thought, she had good-looking companions. 

"Just going over our afternoon adventures," Shiho replied. "Tomorrow, Yzak can join us."

"Is that when we're doing the massages?" 

Shiho frowned. "No, not tomorrow--"

"You sound like you have everything planned," Yzak commented. 

"Not everything," Dearka replied. "But we're working on it - things together, things on our own."

"I am definitely swimming in the morning," Shiho added. 

"I am sleeping in," Dearka said. 

"I'm not even thinking about morning til we get there," Yzak said flatly. "Especially since it's time for dinner."

Dinner was an elaborate affair - more courses than Shiho was used to and more silverware than Dearka looked comfortable using. Somehow, he managed to eat his entire meal while Shiho tried not to stuff herself. Yzak ate almost everything, though he also had a bit of extra wine when the steward came around offering. 

Shiho abstained. One beer for the day was enough - she did want to swim in the morning. 

Somewhere in the middle of the night, Shiho woke both thirsty and needing the bathroom. She'd left a hotel-provided nightlight on in the bathroom and stumbled there with relatively little trouble. She did notice that Dearka wasn't in his bed, though. Hopefully she hadn't been snoring. 

She finished in the bathroom, drank a glass of water and then peeked out into the main room. The sofa was empty and there were no notes on the bar from him. They'd decided to at least mention where they were going if they were leaving the room. Nothing too particular - just to keep track. 

Yzak's bedroom door was closed again. Shiho hadn't really expected him to sleep with it open, but-- she wasn't really sure what to think. Maybe there was more truth to the rumors than she'd wanted to admit to herself. Yzak and Dearka were really close. They could easily be a couple and they wouldn't be a bad looking one. They complimented each other even in personality. 

What was she, then? 

Shiho crept back into bed and pulled the covers over her head. She didn't want to think about it. Eventually, she fell asleep.

~*~

Dearka was back in his bed, snoring softly when Shiho woke. It was early, but not too early. She had time before breakfast and she was itching to check out the pool. She changed into her first suit - green and white flowers on a modest two-piece, pulled on the wrap that Luna had found for her and headed down to the pool. 

There were only a few people swimming, which was nice. A couple of lanes were roped off for swimming laps, and then there was a wide open area. Three or four balls floated sort of in the middle near a deformed basketball hoop. 

Shiho picked a deck chair and slipped off her wrap. She grabbed a towel from a nearby pile and then slipped off her sandals and tucked them under the chair. She put her little pool sack down under her wrap - all she really had in it were her phone and keycard. There wasn't anything else she needed in order to swim. 

Her hair was back in a tight bun. It would need to be washed well and combed later, but swimming came first. 

The pool was warm, but still cold at first. She inched in, down a series of steps with a stainless steel rail to hold onto. No one really seemed to be paying attention to her, which was fine. And once she got midway and used to the water temperature, she dove under and slipped along beneath the surface. From there, she swam a couple of laps outside of the lanes. While Shiho could swim, she wasn't as practiced as the couple of older gentleman in the roped section, so she figured she was good to just play. 

She flipped and floated, smiling. 

And then a ball landed near her head and she had to drop her feet to the bottom of the pool. 

"Sorry!"

A man not too much older than her, with shaggy brown hair and aqua eyes, waved from over near the basketball hoop.

"It's okay," Shiho replied. She grabbed the ball and swam a few feet closer before trying to shoot it. 

It bounced off the backboard and splashed flat in the water. 

The man laughed. Shiho laughed. They both reached to grab it and it slipped away when their hands bumped. 

"Glad to know I'm not the only bad shot," he said, smiling.

"I think it's rigged," Shiho commented, laughing. She grabbed for the ball and quickly tried again while the man grabbed for another of the floating balls. It took her four tries and to be practically under the hoop, but eventually she made a shot. 

The next time Shiho looked up at the clock in the pool area, it was late enough that she was going to have to rush to get ready for breakfast in time. Wincing, she tapped her wrist and pointed up at the clock. 

"That late?" her companion questioned. He frowned. 

"I need time to wash my hair, too," Shiho admitted. 

"I'll see you around?"

Shiho quickly nodded. "Of course."

"My name is Soran-- what's yours?" 

"Shiho," Shiho replied. She smiled. And then she made for the edge of the pool and hoisted herself out as gracefully as possible. When she glanced back, Soran was out and getting his things together as well. 

~*~

Dearka was watching the morning news when Shiho raced into the suite. She could hear a shower running - that meant she wasn't too late, at least.

"Have a good swim?" Dearka questioned.

"Yeah-yes," Shiho replied. She really had enjoyed herself. She smiled, thinking about it. "It's going to be a miracle to make it for breakfast, though. I need to wash my hair."

"We'll wait," Dearka said quickly. "It's, like... a two hour window to get there. Don't worry. You're not far behind Yzak, anyway."

"You could go ahead if I'm too slow." Shiho did want to eat with them, though. It would be a bit awkward to admit to that, but... "I mean, I'd rather..."

"The dining room is huge," Dearka interrupted, giving her a little wink as he spoke. "Go shower. I'll stall Yzak if he gets cranky."

Shiho managed to hold in a prompt 'yes, sir' but she couldn't help a soft chuckle. Even if Dearka was potentially her rival, he was also turning into a good friend. 

Shiho was pretty sure she'd broken some sort of speed record in showering and getting dressed. Her suit had been rinsed in the shower and hung on the towel bar while washing her hair and slathering a layer of the resort's geranium-scented body wash on her skin to get rid of the chlorine smell. 

Breakfast was thankfully casual and Shiho pulled on a pair of black jeans and a dark green v-neck t-shirt. Her wet hair was pinned up to disguise it. After breakfast, she could finish combing it. As an afterthought, she added a bit of eye shadow as well. 

Dearka still had the news on when she slipped back into the main room with her small purse filled with the basics. Yzak was wearing a polo and slacks and was frowning at his tablet. 

However, he looked up at Shiho almost instantly. "You were swimming?" he questioned. There was almost a hint of a smile in there. 

"I was," Shiho replied. The look she received back implied a full report was in order. "Ah, it's warm. Mostly I swam laps and then splashed around playing ball with another guest."

"Are you going tomorrow?"

Shiho blinked, unsure how to reply. Was Yzak jealous? Or just... curious. "Probably. There's a hot tub, too, if you're not a swimmer."

"I'm in for that," Dearka added quickly. "Maybe even later today. But for now, we should head down to breakfast."

Breakfast mostly consisted of planning - what they all wanted to do, etc. Shiho kept glancing around for Soran, but she didn't see him. If nothing else, she was curious what he looked like with clothing on. 

All of the tension from the suite had vanished - they were just talking. Shiho had a little list of exploration, Dearka wanted to play mini-golf - he'd grown fond of it while in Orb, and Yzak grumbled about finding a gift for his mother. 

Shiho had no idea what was going on - at least as far as Yzak and Dearka. She couldn't just ask. Not when she still had two weeks to share a room with them. Though the thought of spending an entire vacation wondering whether she was on an epic not-date wasn't pleasant, either. 

The first thing she needed to do, though, was message Rim. And Margo. Then she could wander around and do nothing and relax. Maybe sprawl in the room after combing her hair and read. 

Then she could decide what to do. 

"Shiho?"

"Mmm? Sorry. I was thinking a bit too hard, I think," Shiho replied. 

"You're supposed to be relaxing," Dearka told her, chuckling. "Though I get the feeling I'm the only one who has any idea how to do that."

"I can relax," Yzak snapped. 

Everything was normal, at least.

~*~

_Shiho!_

_You're where?! Have fun! I can't believe you've got an awesome free vacation. At least you'll be relaxed when you get here. By the way, I hear the top folks in charge will be contacting the shortlist folks in the next couple of days, so keep your phone on!_

_Don't forget your good friend Rim when it comes time to shop for souvenirs~!_

_-Rim_

_\---_

_Shiho,_

_I snagged a package with your name on it from the mailboxes. Looks like it came from Earth. If I've forgotten where I put it by the time you get back, it's on top of my fridge. If I've moved it, I've probably put it in a closet? But it'll be safe._

_Anyway, I hope you're having fun and you'll have lots of tasty details for me when you get home. I always have surplus beer, dontcha know. Send pictures? But not of the tasty stuff._

_-Margo_

 

Shiho chuckled. She'd reply to both of them later, though she did turn up the ringer on her phone. 

After a light lunch of Dearka's leftovers - which had somehow expanded in the fridge overnight - Shiho made her way back down to the ground floor.

The resort boasted a large garden, which was Shiho's destination after she finished looking through all of the shops she hadn't had a chance to really look through the day before. 

Nothing really caught her eye as something she had to own, though the bookstore did have a couple of interesting books on artificial intelligence that Shiho paused to read the backs on. 

The flowers were more interesting. She quickly downloaded a self-paced tour and started to wander. 

"Shiho?"

Shiho looked up from her tablet and a thick carpet of blooms. Soran's hair was a bit fluffier than she'd expected, but the smile was the same. He was wearing a dark t-shirt and cargos and had a tablet out as well. 

"Soran--"

"I wasn't sure if it was you," he admitted. "So awkward when you meet someone without clothing on. Er--"

Shiho laughed. "It's okay. I had my hair up, too."

"It's long."

"Still fits under my helmet," Shiho said without really thinking. It was her standard reply to any given mechanic, after all. 'Still fits under my helmet'. In a completely civilian setting, it sounded... really awkward. 

"Oh?" Soran frowned. "What do you do?" 

It wasn't that Shiho was at all embarrassed about her job. Far from it. But she'd hoped to leave work at work for just a few days. "Mobile suit pilot," she replied. She couldn't help a little smile. 

"Really?" Soran looked her over again. "I wouldn't have expected-- Not that it's bad. You're on leave, then?"

"Two weeks," Shiho said with a nod. "A gift from my commander."

"That's some commander."

"It's a long story."

"One you could tell while we stroll toward the roses?" Soran questioned, offering Shiho his arm. Shiho accepted and started to explain.

~*~

As far as Shiho knew, her files probably did state she was a workaholic. With negligible art skills. Which meant that spending the afternoon - post-garden - playing tennis with Soran was probably something she'd otherwise get sent for a psych evaluation over. 

It did mean she'd need yet another shower, before dinner, but that wasn't a problem. If the suite had anything, it had enough bathrooms. 

After explaining her situation with perhaps a bit more detail than she'd intended, Shiho had gotten Soran's recent past as well. He was an AI researcher coping with being left by his partner - a mobile suit pilot. 

That had explained his reaction, at least. And gave them something else to talk about. 

This time, on the way past the vase at the foot of the elevators, Shiho plucked her own flower and tucked it in her hair. 

Both Yzak and Dearka were in the room, obviously in the middle of a conversation that they stopped abruptly when Shiho stepped in. 

"Don't mind me," she said.

"Impossible," Yzak said flatly before continuing. "Your transfer papers arrived in my inbox a few minutes ago."

"Huh?" Shiho scrambled for her phone - she'd checked it every few minutes and religiously between sets. How had-- but there were no missed calls and no new messages. 

"So you knew," Dearka surmised with a chuckled. "We were betting on that."

"No we weren't," Yzak replied. "But when were you going to say something?"

Shiho looked at the carpet for a long moment before meeting Yzak's gaze. "Once I knew for sure. I had no idea you'd be informed before I had a chance to make a decision."

"So you do want to leave--"

"It's only for a couple of months!" Honestly, Yzak knew she'd been going out of her way to keep busy. She didn't have the Council to please and didn't need to trail around after him like Dearka did, even if sometimes she wanted to. 

"And then?"

"I'll be back, of course," Shiho said firmly. That wasn't anything she'd had second thoughts about. She'd always return to the team, unless she wasn't wanted. 

"See," Dearka said. He was perched on the arm of one of the chairs instead of sitting on it properly. "Told you." 

"If this is what you want, Hah--Shiho," Yzak said almost too softly. 

"It is," Shiho replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to shower before dinner." 

Honestly, she had no idea how to read Yzak's reaction. Normally he just wavered between annoyance and determination. This was... almost like she'd personally offended him. 

Dearka was in their room when she got out of the bathroom. Her robe was thick enough and long enough and Dearka was barely looking her way anyway, so she didn't really care about his presence. 

"I just want to do something I'm good at," Shiho said as she dug through the armoire.

"We both know that," Dearka replied. "It was just a surprise. You never said anything--"

"Like I said - I wanted to have details first. All I knew until a few minutes ago came from my friend Rim."

"I mean, you never complained about--"

"I don't want to leave the team," Shiho said flatly. "This isn't really leaving the team. It's just an assignment. I'll come back."

Possibly because she liked the frustration. She had no idea. But it was really seeming like it. 

"I'm glad."

Shiho grabbed a black dress along with the proper underthings and returned to the bathroom. 

Ten minutes later she was mostly ready, except for one thing. 

She pushed back out into the bedroom. Dearka was half-dressed. 

"Sorry--" Shiho mumbled, starting to turn to head back into the bathroom. 

"Stay," Dearka replied quickly. "You'll be seeing more if we go swimming."

"I actually need a hand with the zipper on this," Shiho admitted, gesturing to the back of her dress. "I completely forgot that Shinn helped me with it when we were shopping." 

"No problem."

"I suppose you'll see more if we go swimming," Shiho added as she slipped over to Dearka. Thankfully, he chuckled. 

His hands were warm against her skin as he turned the zipper to look at it. "This is tiny."

"Miriallia didn't wear anything like this?" Shiho questioned. 

"Not often," Dearka replied, carefully zipping. "You look amazing, though." 

His hands lingered on her shoulders. 

"Th-thank you."

"How about a necklace?"

"You sound like Shinn," Shiho said. "He has a good sense for that sort of thing. He kept saying things like that while we were shopping."

"That means you do," Dearka noted. Shiho nodded. It was almost disappointing when he went back to getting dressed. In between slipping on a thin silver necklace and finding proper footwear, she slipped a couple of peeks. 

~*~

Having slept cleanly through the night, Shiho awoke early and slipped down to the pool. Soran wasn't there, but Shiho didn't mind. Instead, she swam laps for a bit and then settled on a pool chair to watch a family splash around. 

Nothing had been settled over dinner. Or, more correctly, the conversation had completely halted as far as Shiho taking a new assignment was concerned. Honestly, Shiho wasn't going to push anything until she'd actually talked to the test team commander, because even if Yzak had transfer paperwork, it was reliant on her agreeing anyway. Unless Yzak specifically sent her, though that still wouldn't work if there wasn't an actual spot for her. 

She didn't want to think about it. 

She was also very grateful to Lunamaria for her suggestion of a second bathing suit, though her second suit was a bit skimpier than her first. 

There was a blur of movement next to her and a familiar voice. "I thought you'd be swimming."

Shiho looked over at Dearka. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and looked almost awake. 

"Earlier," Shiho replied. "I was about to head back to the room. I'm guessing you came down to get me?"

"Something like that," Dearka admitted. "I, ah... still a little surprised to see you in a two piece."

"Why?" Shiho questioned. She already knew the answer - because she wasn't girly. Or, supposedly, she wasn't 'girly'. She wore a standard uniform, which was far more utilitarian and had pockets in the pants - of course she was going to go with the pockets! She didn't complain about conditions, she could deal with her hair not getting washed for a week, she happily worked in testing and didn't mind getting banged up if it got the job done. 

Because it was her job, and yet again, everyone just mistook her for her job. 

"Huh?" Surprise was obvious on Dearka's face and Shiho couldn't help be amused as he fumbled for a save. "Ah... I really don't know."

"Because I'm just one of the guys, maybe?" Shiho suggested. "You helped me into a dress last night - and back out, in the platonic way."

Dearka chuckled and leaned back, resting his head on his hands. "Yeah," he said. "I think so, yeah. I'm sorry about that. Off-duty Shiho is definitely different from on-duty Shiho."

"Shouldn't we get back to the room?" 

"Hmm?" Dearka turned to look at her and Shiho couldn't help the faintest of blushes when she realized he was really looking. "Yeah, ah-- Shiho?"

"Hmmm?" She reached for her bag and then grabbed for her wrap. That, at least, had dried overnight.

"Yzak's met off-duty Shiho before, hasn't he? Before the other day, I mean?"

"Yes," Shiho replied. She'd been on-duty then, but she'd... been softer then. It was before those last battles. Before all of the truly terrible stuff and the soul-searching and the need to be quiet and just there, just in case. 

The wars had really changed them all. 

Dearka offered her his hand and after a half-second, she took it. He was warm and smiling and it was nice, if only for a short walk to the elevators, to be understood.


	4. Chapter 4

Midway through combing out her hair after breakfast, Shiho's phone beeped. Yzak glanced over at her from the sofa - she was sitting at the bar by her flower.

Shiho shrugged and reached for the phone. They'd decided the best way to handle her potential transfer was not to talk about it until she'd been properly informed. 

'Sorry I missed you. I overslept. But I saw on the day's itinerary that there's a Photo Scavenger Hunt starting in a bit. Want to be a team?'

"Soran," Shiho told Yzak. "He's invited me to be on his team for a scavenger hunt."

"Scavenger hunt?" Yzak questioned. "When?"

After quickly replying, Shiho pulled up the resort's itinerary and gave Yzak the details. It didn't sound like something he'd do, but... maybe he thought it sounded fun. Maybe Shiho didn't know him as well as she thought... 

Dearka quickly volunteered to be the other half of Yzak's team, which did not surprise Shiho. 

And the better part of an hour later, Shiho was down with Soran - and Yzak and Dearka - listening to instructions and receiving their list of items. 

It was a photo scavenger hunt, so all they had to do was turn in photographs from around the resort. The winning team would receive two gift cards good anywhere in the resort, and the amount was fairly decent. In return, the photos would become property of the resort to use as fit.

"Basically, we're being used as a cheap replacement for professional photographers," Soran noted with a chuckle. "I have to applaud their marketing department for coming up with a fun way to save money."

"It's fine," Shiho replied, leaning in Soran's direction. "What's first on our list?"

"'A Sewing Kit'," Soran replied. "I think the little convenience store might have them."

Shiho nodded. Other teams were beginning to disperse. 

Quickly, they hurried in the direction of the little convenience store. There were no sewing kits on the peg. At least one other team was looking for an item, too, and complained loudly that it was out of stock. 

"It's a conspiracy," Shiho said firmly. "We're going to have to get creative."

"Think outside the box?" Soran questioned. Shiho nodded but inwardly, she couldn't help wincing. Thinking outside the box was not a strong suit of hers. She liked protocol. And she could think on her feet, especially when testing, but that wasn't quite the same. Most solutions came from going through work done before and doing things in similar ways. Something completely different just wasn't--

They were out of the convenience store and about to turn when Shiho stopped dead and grabbed for Soran's sleeve. The words didn't come at first, but finally she gestured and mumbled-- "A big sewing kit."

There, nearly straight across the wide hallway from the convenience store, was a little tailor stall promising quick repairs, zippers fixed, and other services. 

Soran started laughing. "That's perfect. Let me get a picture." He pulled out his phone and took a quick snap before grinning at Shiho. "Let's see what's next."

They ran around after creative interpretations of the rest of the list - 'A Giant Jewel' was the pool, obviously, sparkling in the sun, 'Oranges' was a pair of orange drink cups in front of orange flower blossoms - until there was just one item left. 

"'An Undying Flower'," Shiho read from the list. That meant real flowers were out. 

"Where are there fake flowers?" Soran questioned. "All the ones in all the vases are real."

"What about on clothing or something?" Shiho quickly glanced around. Of course, no one had on anything patterned close to a floral print. 

"How about the jewelry store?" Soran grinned. "I bet they have something that's a flower."

The jewelry store, however, was closed for lunch. Soran stared at the gate for a long moment before checking his watch. "And the deadline is in ten minutes..."

Shiho was the one who saw it in the window - a delicate cloisonne flower necklace charm hung on a gold chain. And it was a beautiful red and reminded her instantly of her beloved housenka flower. 

"There," Shiho said. "That one."

Soran took a picture and submitted it. Shiho knew she'd have to stop back and get the necklace. But for the time being, lunch was a very good idea.

~*~

Soran received the message that they'd won midway through the movie they'd decided to see after lunch, but didn't check his phone til the credits were rolling. It had been a comedy, older, and a bit of a classic. Shiho had seen it before, and she could tell that Soran had as well, but somehow that made it all the more enjoyable. 

Together, they stopped at the front desk to claim their prizes. 

"I can get that necklace," Shiho said. It wouldn't have been out of her budget anyway, but a gift card was a wonderful excuse. 

"The flower?" Soran questioned. Shiho nodded and explained. She hadn't said anything at the time because it would be another reminder of Soran's ex- and there was really no need to do that. 

Soran quickly pushed his gift card into Shiho's hand. "Use mine toward it too, if you have to."

"But I can afford it," Shiho protested, attempting to give it back as they walked away from the front desk and toward the shops. 

"I want to get you something," Soran protested. "Just... as a thank you in general."

"For what?"

"Being the friend I need," Soran replied. He put the gift card firmly back into Shiho's hand and squeezed it. 

Before Shiho could say anything else, her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but the prefix suggested it was off-colony and definitely ZAFT. 

"I gotta answer this one," she hissed, slipping over toward a service corridor. Hopefully her signal wouldn't drop. 

"Hello?"

"Is this Ms. Hahnenfuss?" 

The rest of the call went quickly and with one extra detail added - she'd be team lead and it might even earn her promotion. However... Shiho agreed on the spot and asked for the remaining details to be forwarded. 

When she stepped back out, Soran was waiting but his expression clearly suggested that something was wrong.

"Was that your big phone call?" he asked. 

Shiho nodded. "I accepted. They actually want me as team leader and were waiting to finalize my team so they could give me names. As if they needed that." However, it was amusing to find out that one of the names was Shinn's. He'd definitely be enjoyable to work with and she'd sort of suspected his presence. It was probably only her longer service record that had earned her the lead spot - he certainly had more decoration. 

"Congratulations, then."

"You look like something's wrong." Shiho frowned. 

"The necklace isn't there," Soran said. "I went ahead to at least get it out of the display, but it's gone. The clerk said it sold right after she got back from lunch."

"Oh--" Shiho wasn't crushed, exactly. She had wanted the necklace, yes, but she wasn't really the jewelry sort. It would have been something she'd wear for the rest of the vacation and then tuck in a box. 

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay," Shiho replied quickly. "Really." She handed him the gift card back. "You'll have to buy me something else."

Soran chuckled. "I think I owe you two now - one as congratulations."

Shiho nodded. She wondered if she should be more excited. But it wasn't like she wasn't expecting the call. Most of the excitement had already come and gone. This was just confirmation. And a potential promotion... would make her a commander as well. 

She wouldn't be able to rejoin Yzak's team. For a moment, her feet felt a bit like clay.

"Want to go window-shop?" Soran questioned. Shiho nodded. They stopped in the jewelry shop and Shiho gave everything a quick once over. Nothing else really struck her, though. 

"Looking for anything in particular?" the clerk questioned. Shiho noticed that the clerk gave sort of an odd look, but she brushed it off. 

"There was a necklace earlier, but I guess it sold," Shiho replied. "A cloisonne flower?"

The clerk nodded. "A man rushed in and insisted it would be the perfect gift for his girlfriend right when I got back from lunch. I'm sorry. I even ran a search when this gentleman came in-" She gestured at Soran "-but it's discontinued. I can't even order another one."

"It's okay," Shiho replied. "I liked it, but... I really didn't need it." 

"If there's anything else--"

Shiho shook her head. "No, it's fine."

~*~

She and Soran had walked around a bit longer, debating what to spend their gift cards on, but neither made any decisions before it was time to head back to change for dinner. 

Surprisingly, she ended up in the elevator with Yzak, who stepped on a floor after she had. 

"We won," she said. 

"Won?" he questioned. "Won what?"

"The scavenger hunt," Shiho replied. "What else?"

"Dearka and I finished it, at least. Barely." Yzak said. "Whoever came up with that list was crazy."

Shiho smiled and nodded. "Ours was pretty strange, too. It took a few tries to stop thinking literally about all of it."

"But you and that guy--"

'His name is Soran."

"-Soran. You two--"

The elevator stopped and its doors opened, but no one got on. Shiho shrugged as the doors closed. 

"He's a friend," Shiho said quickly. Again. She wanted to ask if Yzak was jealous, but it just didn't seem like a good idea. 

"Hn."

But Yzak then plucked a flower from the vase in the hallway on the way to their room and gave it to her without a word. 

Yeah. Great. Maybe if she really wasn't going to get a chance to rejoin Yzak, she could just ask all the questions she'd been wanting to ask and not worry about the answers hanging over her for the rest of time. 

~*~

Partway through the night, Shiho woke up and rolled over to check the time. Dearka wasn't in his bed, again. She fussed with her blankets and tried to go back to sleep, but after about a half-hour, she just got up and went to the bathroom. Dearka still wasn't back a few minutes after that and her stomach was strangely empty, considering how much she'd eaten at dinner.

She crawled out of bed and tiptoed into the hallway. Yzak's door was closed but she thought she heard something. 

There was no dignity in listening at the door, though. She didn't need to know that badly. 

It was far more honorable to drink the remains of a half-flat beer that probably wasn't even hers and read over all of the documents that had been forwarded to her tablet while ignoring the soft drone of late night programming on the big screen television. 

She couldn't help but think of one of Margo's bad jokes when she went to look for more beer and any of Dearka's leftovers -- 'Why do married women get fat while single women stay skinny? Because a single woman comes home, looks in the fridge and goes to bed. A married woman comes home, looks in the bed and goes to the fridge.'

Shiho set her snacks on the coffee table and flopped back on the sofa. Maybe if she was just married to her job... 

It would be easy enough to give up on Yzak if she didn't keep ending up close to him. 

"Hey--" 

She had a cold cheese stick shoved in her mouth and was scratching at her side while hunched over her tablet. Slowly, she looked over at Dearka, who wasn't wearing any sort of sleep shirt, only bottoms. 

"Just looking over things," Shiho said once she'd finished chewing. "And eating, as if they didn't try to prepare us for a long hibernation at dinner."

Dearka chuckled. "May I sit? I won't peek at anything classified."

"Go ahead," Shiho replied. Dearka grabbed her bottle of beer and finished it on his way around the coffee table. "You couldn't sleep either?"

"Something like that," Dearka replied. "Can I go swimming with you later?"

"Sure. Then we've got a full day of being poked and slathered, right?" Shiho wasn't actually dreading their spa day. She just wasn't really... sure what the day would entail, aside from massages and cucumbers. 

"Yup. But I guess that's what people do at places like this," Dearka replied. "When you're too old for the game room, I mean."

"Game room?" Shiho had almost jammed another cheese stick in her mouth.

"You haven't found that yet?"

Shiho shook her head. Obviously, she'd need to make a diversion later. 

Until Shiho managed a yawn, they talked about everything aside from the elephant in the room. And then they both crawled off to bed.

~*~

Swimming? Check. Swimming with both Dearka and Soran who both managed to get very competitive over swimming pool basketball? Check. Dearka and Soran becoming instant pals? Check. 

Shiho was half-surprised that Soran hadn't sat with them for breakfast, though she didn't want to risk Yzak's good spirits. 

Once they arrived at the spa, they were all directed off in different ways. While Shiho undressed and put on a white robe, she was quizzed from behind a curtain about what treatments she'd like (no clue), how she took care of her skin (soap) and hair (fairly expensive shampoo and conditioner when available, otherwise soap), and what her general comfort levels were as far as nudity and gender preferences for specialists (probably nothing they haven't seen before and whatever). 

"What would you say your current stress level is?"

Shiho chewed on her lower lip for a moment. "Yes," she replied. 

The advisor chuckled. "I think I might need to ask you to be a bit more specific. Don't worry - everything that happens in here is confidential."

Shiho sighed. Without getting too specific, she got through her impending job change, being fairly sure all of her not-dates were indeed not-dates but not wanting to be the idiot who asks for confirmation, and a few other minor things. 

"I think I have the perfect day lined up for you," the spa advisor said after a moment. "We'll take you to relax for a moment while I see who's available to get you started."

~*~

By lunch time, Shiho was fairly sure she was halfway to being a different person if only because at least one layer had been completely soaked and scrubbed off. However, she did feel better, too. 

Yzak looked a little red when she sat down at his table for lunch, which was mostly small vegetable sandwiches and fruit juice from what Shiho could tell. Dearka looked radiant, though. And like someone had figured out how to tame his eyebrows, which was amusing. So far, no one had asked to wax anything of Shiho's, but she knew it was coming. 

"I think I was nearly aromatherapied into a coma," Dearka said, chuckling as he grabbed for one of the little sandwiches. "I don't know if this will even taste like anything."

"Scrubbed, mostly," Shiho admitted. She'd already detailed her morning to Yzak, but detailing it again to Dearka didn't take long. 

Unsurprisingly, Yzak had been diagnosed as having a lot of tension. Along with a recommendation of multiple days of massages. Shiho was half-expecting a bit of spit and sputter to go along with that, but Yzak seemed calm. Whatever they'd done was working, apparently. 

"Are you having a nice vacation?" Yzak questioned after a lull in conversation.

"Huh?" Yet again, Shiho had been caught about to stuff something in her mouth. She smiled. Weird, yes, and unexpected, but definitely nice. "Yeah. I'm going to miss this the first time the base blows a water heater or something." 

Dearka chuckled. "This is definitely the life. We could make this an annual thing, you know." 

"I don't think you could afford to make this an annual trip," Yzak said flatly. "Remember who's paying."

"Relax more," Dearka shot back. "It's why we're here."

Shiho couldn't help another little smile. Some things never changed. And she sort of liked that. 

~*~

By dinner, she'd had her hair infused with different things, trimmed just a bit, and styled into an up-do so amazing that she snapped a picture in the mirror just so she could send it to Margo later. Her nails were painted - her toenails were even painted after a foot massage that made her want to melt into a puddle. And she'd allowed herself a glass of wine when offered that took pretty much the last bit of stress over anything and shoved it to the wayside.

If she was going to allow herself any further indulgence on the trip, it would be letting someone else wash her hair. That alone had been amazing. 

After everything, she felt a little guilty for putting her normal clothing back on. Obviously, she'd have to rush to get into proper dinner attire and it was definitely time to bust out another dress. 

She could hear Yzak in his bedroom and the third bathroom door was closed, so she supposed Dearka was in there. Quickly, she grabbed her clothing and scooted into her own bathroom. Her thigh-high stockings slid on amusingly well - oh, she'd been waxed in more places but not as many as the attendant had wanted to wax. Shiho knew it wasn't a big deal, but there were some places she wasn't quite ready to go (and some places she didn't quite want others going). 

This dress didn't need a hand from Dearka - it was stretchy and sort of slinked right on over her head and down. It was red - not an unfamiliar color for her - and Shiho was pleased that she'd picked the exact color out of the myriad shades on the nail polish rack. She went light on makeup - after being scrubbed and masked and exfoliated, the thought of putting anything on her face wasn't appealing. Just a hint of eye shadow and bit of lipstick and she thought she looked fine. 

Besides, the dress was a little lower cut than she'd remembered - Shiho wasn't entirely sure anyone would be looking at her face. 

The second she slipped out into the living room, both Dearka and Yzak stopped their conversation mid-sentence. They stared - Yzak a little stunned and Dearka a little predatory. 

"You look amazing," Yzak finally managed. "Really, really beautiful."

Time to turn around and hole right back up in the bathroom and... Shiho wasn't at all sure how to respond to that. She knew she was blushing and she tried to smile. "Th-thank you. You both look really nice, as well."

Both men were in suits, and between the freshly-styled hair and scrubbed skin, they had a sort of radiance. 

"If you were my girlfriend, you wouldn't make it to dinner," Dearka added.

"Dearka--" Yzak promptly elbowed him in the side. "That was--"

Shiho couldn't help it. She started laughing. It was all just too ridiculous and officially, she didn't care about trying to figure out the great mystery of relationships or whatever was going on. Dates, not-dates, everything else. It didn't matter. These two were her friends and she was having fun. 

"It's a nice compliment," she managed. It was! Especially after their conversation the morning before. That was probably half of why he said it - because Dearka paid attention to things like that when it came to people he liked. 

Yzak still looked a bit like he'd swallowed an eel. Dearka was attempting to look ashamed but was failing. 

"Let's go to dinner?" Shiho questioned. 

"Not yet," Yzak replied quickly. "I have a gift for you. But you have to close your eyes."

"Hmm?" Shiho closed her eyes, though, a little nervous til she smelled Yzak beside her. He smelled good - she wouldn't have minded if he stayed close. And then his fingers were on her neck, and something small but heavy and cold...

"Go ahead--"

Shiho opened her eyes and looked down, winding her own fingers through the thin gold chain around her neck. There was the cloisonne housenka.

"How--?"

Dearka shrugged. He'd gotten closer while Shiho had her eyes closed. "We saw it while doing that stupid scavenger hunt. Yzak decided he was going to buy it for you, so we circled back and sat outside the jeweler til it reopened."

Shiho had no words. None. She'd gotten over the necklace, mostly, but... having it... and knowing that Yzak had thought of her and done that for her...

"I saw it too," Shiho admitted. "But when I went back, it was gone."

Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes and she tried to blink them back. 

"Thank you, thank you--" She leaned and kissed Yzak on the cheek before hugging him tight. He sort of stiffened at first, then relaxed, hugging her back. And then she hugged Dearka because she knew he was just as involved in the whole caper as Yzak. 

~*~

That night it was Yzak that Shiho stayed up late with, eating cheesecake ordered from room service and half-watching an old movie. 

They weren't talking about anything in particular - old missions, silly stuff from childhood, Margo, mobile suits... but it was nice.


	5. Chapter 5

"You were the talk of the demitasse last night, you know," Soran said to her as she surfaced beside him. 

"Me?"

"Supermodel in a red dress with the sons of two former Supreme Council members escorting her," Soran replied with a little nod.

"I don't think I quite qualify as 'supermodel'..."

"I'm merely repeating what I heard. I didn't see you, but I did see a few discreet phone snaps." Soran smiled, apparently waiting for something. "No moves made last night?"

"None. And it's okay. Unless I down a bottle of champagne and get up the nerve to ask them all the stupid questions-- all the stupid questions," Shiho replied. "Now, let's talk about you. Were you at the demitasse with someone? Or just mingling in to have something for this morning?"

"I might have met a couple of people I'd like to talk to a bit more," Soran admitted. "But anything else-- it's too soon."

Shiho smiled and grabbed for a basket sitting along the edge of the pool. Without hesitation, she heaved brightly-colored plastic weighted clams at the deep end of the pool. 

"Whoever gets the most..." she began.

"Gets to pick where the loser buys lunch?" Soran suggested. Shiho nodded. It was on.

Six rounds later, Shiho was ahead two clams and it was time for breakfast. 

~*~

"Lunch with Soran because I beat him at clams," Shiho explained as she sorted cards and other things across her bedspread. Switching purses and bags back and forth was getting a little ridiculous. 

"Clams?" Dearka questioned. 

"In the pool," Shiho explained. "Diving toys... I can show you later? We still need to hit the hot tub, too. Might be nice for relaxing after yesterday?"

"Yzak has another massage scheduled somewhere in there," Dearka commented. He seemed to be trying to find something in his suitcase but Shiho didn't quite want to ask what. "I'll at least be free, though."

Shiho stuffed everything she could into her larger bag and headed to the bathroom to check her hair. She hadn't managed anything as ornate as the previous day's style, but it didn't look bad. 

When she stepped into the main room, Dearka had settled with a paperback. Yzak had the news on. A maid was vacuuming apparently right outside their door. 

"Can you make sure the sign is still on the door?" Yzak questioned. "I'll take it down when we head down for lunch."

Shiho nodded and offered a grinning little salute. Once out the door, she nearly walked right into the maid. The 'Do Not Disturb' sign was still firmly on the door, and when the maid gestured at it, Shiho shook her head. 

"Check in about an hour," she mouthed, unsure if her voice would even travel. The maid nodded and continued vacuuming. 

As Shiho headed for the elevator, she double-checked that she had her room key, her credit cards and ID, and-- somehow she'd not ended up with the gift card she'd won. She was going to get Soran something with it if it was the last thing she did. At least she hadn't gotten off the floor and still had plenty of time before she was supposed to meet Soran. 

Hurrying back past the maid - still vacuuming within feet of their door (maybe they'd dropped some crumbs when putting out their room service trays?) - Shiho jammed her keycard into the door and pushed it open. 

"Totally forgot my--" 

And she stopped, completely, staring as the door closed behind her. 

Dearka still had the book in his hand, thumb marking his page as he dangled it off to the side. Yzak was half on him, kissing him. Dearka's other hand was in Yzak's hair. Shiho couldn't see where Yzak's hands were. 

Slowly, Yzak pulled back and looked up at her.

"Forgot my gift card," Shiho managed. She pointed in the direction of the bedroom. "Just going to grab it and I'll be right out of here, no worries..."

She darted into the hallway and dug at the bedspread until it revealed the missing gift card. Now there was just walking back out of the room and back past them and back to the corridor...

All of her questions, finally answered. Points for the rumor-mill, Shiho supposed. They looked good together - they seemed into each other. But had they just been spending the whole vacation waiting for her to leave? That wasn't fair at all. 

Maybe they were afraid of her reaction. 

Were they worried about what she'd think? They were friends... but then again, if they thought she thought she had a chance with...

Shiho sat on the edge of the bed, frowning and turning the gift card over and over again in her hands. 

Well, they weren't dates. This wasn't a date. 

She still had to leave the room. Somehow. By walking. Past them. 

There had to be a classy way to do it. Just walk on out, flash the located gift card, comment that the 'Do Not Disturb' sign was very firmly in place and that she wouldn't be returning... No... 

But she couldn't just say nothing.

Shiho flopped back on the bed. 

No least-awkward solution was presenting itself. Especially since there wasn't really a problem. Just an event. A...

"Shiho?" Dearka's voice. Not a huge surprise. She'd been gone a little longer than they'd probably expected. 

"Found the gift card," Shiho said, holding it up without sitting up. She was going to be honest. Dearka would appreciate that. "Now I need to find the least awkward way to leave again and so far, I'm stumped."

"Well..."

"But at least I know for sure now," Shiho continued, letting her arm fall over her eyes. It was easier to talk without looking at him, definitely. "I think I'm a little disappointed that I didn't already know, because you could have told me. Instead of--" 

She waved her other hand sort of at the room. 

"--I don't know. This. Waiting for me to leave and whatever is going on with us sharing a room and... it's okay, you know."

She could at least relax a little more. Once this incredibly awkward one-sided conversation was over. 

"And I'm going to stop talking because I think everything I said was probably stupid."

"Not at all," Dearka said. Shiho felt weight next to her and didn't scootch away when Dearka flopped beside her. "That was totally unfair of us, and I apologize. There just... hasn't really been a right time to explain everything. Especially not knowing what you do and don't know."

"And we all feel kind of stupid?" Shiho questioned. "Yeah. There's been no easy way for me to bring anything up. Ask about a rumor and risk a lecture for listening to rumors? No thanks."

"You think I'd do that?" 

Shiho risked peeking. Yzak was standing in the doorway. He'd probably been there all along. 

"You would do that," Dearka replied. 

Yzak frowned but didn't say anything. Apparently his subordinate had him. Shiho sat up and after a moment, Dearka did too. She didn't comment when he settled an arm around her waist and pulled her close to lean against him.

"And all those times I left and came back," Shiho noted. "I guess-- I don't know."

"Then we awkwardly spring a resort vacation on you," Dearka added. "After an equally awkward date."

"That was a date?" Shiho frowned. How was that a date? It couldn't have been a date. "I thought it was a not-date, but I couldn't ask because if I thought it was a date and Yzak didn't or Yzak did and I didn't or--"

Another thought popped into her mind. Especially since Dearka was the one with his arm around her. Dearka was the one who kept flirting. And Dearka was the one who'd at least had a girlfriend before. 

"Who was I on a date with?" Shiho questioned. "I mean, if I'm asking questions I'm going to instantly regret..."

Yzak smiled and shifted, walking over to sit on Dearka's bed directly across from her. 

"Us," he said. 

"But of course, asking you properly fell apart because we were worried about how it would affect the team if your thoughts were different from ours," Dearka added. 

"I'm leaving the team again," Shiho commented. There was no reason to hold back now, if they were just admitting to everything. "Possibly for good this time. I'm taking a team leader position. It might be worthy of a promotion to commander."

She paused. The silence was heavy. 

"I was going to wait til the last day to mention... I didn't want it to affect anything."

Yzak looked a bit like he wanted to fume, but he didn't. Was there something else she--?

The date had been with both of them. She was at the resort with both of them? They both--?

Her?

Shiho nearly forgot how to breathe. 

There had to be an answer somewhere within her. But being asked--

"Shiho?" 

"Not a one-night thing, don't worry," Dearka said softly, as if he was somehow reading one step ahead of her mind. "If it works, then it works long-term. We're a good team already..."

They were. They always had been. 

She smiled at Yzak. Yzak slipped over to sit beside her and Dearka. 

"I'd finally just decided it didn't matter and I was okay with us all being friends forever," Shiho admitted. "But this--"

She didn't flinch away from Yzak's hand on her cheek. She closed her eyes and parted her lips, letting him kiss her gently. Shiho reached to touch him, but the gift card--

Gift card!

"Lunch date--" she managed as Yzak sat back. "I..."

"It's okay," Dearka said. He leaned and kissed her shoulder. "Go on."

"I'll see you later," Shiho managed as she stood. She leaned and kissed Dearka's cheek and then Yzak's before turning to go. The gift card was leaving a mark in her skin. She shoved it into her purse and made for the elevator. The maid had moved on down the hallway. And she wasn't going to be too terribly late.

~*~

The first thing Soran noticed was the strange expression on Shiho's face. The second thing was the necklace. They both decided the necklace was the safer subject of conversation. 

~*~

_Hey Shiho!_

_I hear it's all official! I can't wait to see you. Don't worry, I have gifts, too, and they aren't just parts from the GuAIZ I was stripping down yesterday. I was always fond of them - did you ever get one, or did you skip straight to a Zaku? I never thought the Zakus were as elegant - don't fire me!_

_Did you get the team roster? Do you know anyone else on it? Don't worry, I don't need dirt. Especially don't need to know who's single~_

_So, how are things with you and you-know-who?_

_-Rim_

Shiho laughed and turned off her tablet's screen before setting it on the dresser. She was supposed to be changing into a swimsuit because the second she had stepped back into the suite, Dearka had declared it Hot-Tub-O'Clock (or possibly hot-tub-thirty, she'd been juggling bags and her phone was beeping about a message in her account). 

Her suit from the day before was a bit damp and she hoped to remember to possibly blow-dry both suits a bit later or else she'd have to skip a morning. Soran always seemed to have the same suit on -- either he had a routine or just didn't mind damp material. 

She really needed to send Luna a note or two about all of her fashion advice. Even though quite a bit really had been Shinn. The red dress had been Shinn, now that she thought about it. 

Pulling on her wrap, Shiho paused. She wasn't terribly sure what to do next. Well, at the moment it was switch keycards and such into her little pool bag. But beyond that. With Yzak and Dearka. Probably let them take the lead. 

After all, they were obviously sleeping together. Well, mostly obviously. She really couldn't just hop on in, could she? Were they expecting her to? 

It wasn't like they were strangers - it was Yzak. And Dearka. She'd trusted them with her life, and she knew they'd trusted her with theirs. And she was an adult and she could make whatever decisions she wanted. 

They had a huge, beautiful suite and it would be a shame to waste it. But... she didn't want to be too forward, either. 

"Shiho?" For once, it was Yzak checking in on her. 

"Almost done," Shiho replied, looking up from where she'd been pulling items from her purse. "If you have anything you want to take along, we can put it in my bag."

Yzak gave her a little smile. "That's all? Dearka was half-afraid--"

"I was not!" echoed from the main room--

"Well, that you were having second thoughts."

Shiho shook her head. She might as well be honest. "Second thoughts? I think I'm on at least my ninth set. 

"Hnn-"

"But I trust you two, and I care about you," Shiho continued. She smiled. And then did the only thing she could really think to do - the sort of thing she'd entertained for years to make her own interest known. Of course, she never would have done it, but...

Shiho slipped over and kissed Yzak. She wasn't quite sure if it was going to be a quick kiss or not a quick kiss but after about ten seconds and tongues and his warm hands on the bare skin of her back, Shiho also really wasn't sweating the details. 

The details would hopefully take care of themselves.

~*~

Maybe, Shiho thought as she leaned against Dearka and tried not to yawn, it would be more like a turns thing instead of an everyone all together thing. That would probably be... Well, she didn't think she had a preference. Maybe it would just depend on the day. What moods everyone was in. All sorts of things. 

Shiho wasn't even watching the movie they'd turned on after dinner. She was just thinking. Dearka was warm. He was easier to lean against. Yzak was... Yzak. Only now she was catching his glances in her direction. 

She yawned. It wasn't that late, but... she had done a double round in the pool - the hot tub had been too hot for her and while Yzak boiled himself, she'd taken to laps. And she and Soran had walked the length of the shops at least twice. 

"I should go to bed," she mumbled. 

There were also the marathons of thinking, over-thinking, and second thoughts that were somewhere in the high-teens. 

"I probably won't be far behind you," Dearka admitted. Shiho nodded as she got to her feet. She wondered if Yzak would take her spot -- take the spot she'd-- move over to leech Dearka's body heat. He should... And it was nice to see them close. 

Smiling sleepily, Shiho reached to squeeze Yzak's hand and then Dearka's. Not terribly romantic or anything, but a good start. 

She was out not long after crawling into bed. 

~*~

When she rolled over, expecting it to be the middle of the night like usual, Shiho was surprised that it was actually time to get up. Despite a couple of already-fading strange dreams, she'd slept through the night. On the other bed, Dearka was snoring very lightly. 

She watched him for a moment before getting up and sneaking to the bathroom. Breakfast wouldn't even start for another hour, but her stomach was empty and protesting that fact. Hopefully there was still a stash in the fridge. If not, she'd have to mention that they needed to restock. The vacation wasn't even half-over yet. Snacks were necessary.

It worked out - both of her bathing suits had been hung over a vent in the bar area that seemed to be producing the most air. So after making herself a serviceable early-morning snack (bit of leftover cheesecake, slightly-soggy battered mushrooms, some sort of stuffed potato) and devouring it, Shiho grabbed the driest of the two suits and headed back to change into it. 

As she passed through, Dearka shifted and sort of half sat up to watch her. 

"Sorry," she said. "I'll be quick - you can go back to sleep."

"It's fine. It's not too early," Dearka replied. "You sleep okay?"

Shiho had slipped into the bathroom to change, but she'd left the door (to the side of where she was changing) open so she could reply. 

"Yeah. Surprised to see you still here, though."

"Why-- Oh... No, no... that..."

"It's not like I need details about the entirely of your relationship," Shiho said. She pulled off the nightgown she'd slept in and started putting her bikini top on. It had both clasps and decorative ties that doubled as a proper security measure in a pinch. Shiho was fond of it. "But I think, before I continue to over-think, I need something." 

"Yzak is a terrible blanket hog, not cuddly once he's asleep, and in general really cranky when he wakes up," Dearka said. Shiho could hear the amusement in his voice. She traded underpants for the swim bottoms quickly and then stepped back out into the bedroom. She could use the mirror over the dresser to put her hair up. 

"The latter isn't really a surprise," Shiho said. She shook her hair down from the falling bun it had been in for sleeping and then started quickly brushing it out. Even if it was going back up, it was going to go up nicely. 

"And whatever-- however everything happens, Shiho, it's good," Dearka said. He sat up a little more, this time clearly watching her in the mirror. "I know I'm probably just sort of--"

"I've really enjoyed spending time with you," Shiho interjected quickly. She could tell where that was heading. It had popped into her head at one point along with everything else. "I... know how we functioned as a team and that's a dynamic that worked, right? So this will be the same but..."

"With less clothing?" Dearka suggested as Shiho struggled to find the words. 

"Yes," Shiho said. She laughed and tucked her hair up how it belonged. "Now I'm going to go swim and at some point today, you're in charge of restocking the fridge."

"Yes, ma'am," Dearka replied as he gave her a little salute. Shiho grabbed her bag and wrap and headed out.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for PolyBigBang, this is an edited/expanded version of Breathing Underwater because I just feel like the story isn't entirely complete as-is. Changes are intended to be minor - obvious spelling/technical fixes, clarification/wording, details, scene expansion, etc. - and will hopefully add to the story in modest but enjoyable ways. 
> 
> If you are unfamiliar with Rim, she appeared in a special Gundam Ace one-shot comic. 
> 
> A brief soundtrack for this story:  
> TM Revolution - Zips  
> Metric - Speed the Collapse  
> Chumbawamba - Bad Dog  
> Andrew WK - Cadillac


End file.
